Operation 365... Blog 328

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 334 Hester Hamman 1-26-2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWomi8iSGKM


Here is a rare acoustic appearance from Hester Hamman at my Open Mic on January 26, 2009. She played stand up bass, keyboard and different things at different times, but this is one of the only ones I can recall where she played one of her tunes on straight up acoustic guitar. She acquits herself very nicely on the instrument. In fact, it is my guitar she is playing.

Hester goes way back with my little corner of the music scene. She was one of the first bartenders who worked my Hot Fudge Sundae Open Mic at the old O'Connell's years ago. They went through a few of them there. My CD Release party will be held where O'Connell's once stood at a bar now known as The Griffin, 1310 Morena Blvd. We played that room twice on New Years's Eves, 2006 and 2007, I believe... or what that 2005 and 2006. No matter. So ir will be a unique homecoming of sorts.

I corresponded via text briefly with Hester last week. I sent out a few notes inviting old friends to my new Open Mic Wednesdays at a place called The Reunion, (2205 Mendocino Ave. SD, CA, 8-11PM, in case you wanted to know). Hester wrote some very friendly stuff back to my little not. She is in New York City currently and I bet she's doing great. Hopefully, we'll get to catch up soon. Hester is a wonderful woman who it's always a pleasure to visit with.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 334 "When the Saints Go Marching In" popularized by Louis Armstrong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcM1QYxC0d0


I was researching "When the Saints Go Marching In" after I had a blast recording it and I learned a few interesting things. One, there's a ton of verses like these:

We are trav'ling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before,
And we'll all be reunited,
On a new and sunlit shore,

Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Lord, how I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

And when the sun refuse to shine
And when the sun refuse to shine
Lord, how I want to be in that number
When the sun refuse to shine

And when the moon turns red with blood
And when the moon turns red with blood
Lord, how I want to be in that number
When the moon turns red with blood

Oh, when the trumpet sounds its call
Oh, when the trumpet sounds its call
Lord, how I want to be in that number
When the trumpet sounds its call

Some say this world of trouble,
Is the only one we need,
But I'm waiting for that morning,
When the new world is revealed.

Oh When the new world is revealed
Oh When the new world is revealed
Lord, how I want to be in that number
When the new world is revealed

Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Lord, how I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

Now I don't know if you read all that or not, but it seems like this whose song is about the apocalypse or the end of the world, or the rebirth of the world, somehow, maybe. THAT, I don't know. I played it cause it came up while I was having lunch with my pal, Rich Robbin and because Sean Power, who let me use his room at Spotless Studio to listen to a version of my upcoming CD, "Gift To Be Alive," is a big Saints fan. Thanks, Sean! I told Sean yesterday before the Sunday night game that I liked the Saints to win going away. They took it down 62-7. I'm not sad I didn't watch.

So there you go. "When the Saints Go Marching In" is far more like "Dexter" than I ever would have imagined.

Two, (I almost forgot "Two") no one knows who write his song, again kind of Dexter-ish. Yes it's a mystery. Normally, they say, it's traditional when a song is old. For "When the Saints Go Marching In," they just say, we don't know, they, being wikipedia, in this circumstance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_the_Saints_Go_Marching_In

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 334 "Kevin Brown"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwUgDsjYFEM


"Kevin Brown" is a song I wrote about my brother, Kevin Brown. Kevin Brown is also the name of one of the worst pitchers in New York Yankees history. He almost single handedly ended the "curse" that kept the Red Sox without a World Championship for my grandpa's whole life. F that guy. My brother on the other hand, is cool. He was 10 when I wrote this song in his honor. My other brother, John and I were in Utah, sitting my a river when I wrote this tune. It was like 11 years ago... My pooch Angel was a baby.

Now Kevin is all grown up. He is a collegiate now, a teacher, and he's studied in Scotland. He is growing in to a fine young man, as I knew he would. I'm a proud brother. Life is beautiful like that park in Utah where John and I camped before heading to hike the Grand Canyon.